We'll be picked up at our hotel to start our intimate tour of the Scottish Highlands. First stop is Oban, a gorgeous coastal town known as the "Gateway to the Isles." 

The city is also known for its Ceilidh events (pronounced Cay-lah), traditional Highland dances with live music and--bonus--men in kilts! We'll attend one before heading out to a lovely dinner in this mecca for seafood. 

We'll also make time to climb McCaig’s Tower at sunset and hike up Pulpit Hill.

We'll be staying at the Oban Bay Hotel, right on the water. 

What would a visit to the Scottish Highlands be without a stop at Loch Ness? After one of the most spectacular drives in the British Isles (the back road from Oban to Drumnadrochit), we'll have lunch at Fiddler's Highland Restaurant, known for its classic Scottish dishes. 

Then we'll head out on the lake itself, and after our return on dry land, we'll have time to explore Urquhart Castle. 

We'll spend the night at the Loch Ness Inn. 

After breakfast and some free time along Loch Ness, we'll head up to Inverness, considered the capital of the Scottish Highlands. Following lunch, we can explore the Old Town and an indoor Victorian Market selling food, clothing and crafts. 

Then we'll head to the Speyside region, where we'll spend 3 nights at the spectacular Craigellachie Hotel, which Condé Nast Traveler described us as “the oldest and greatest whisky hotel in the world." The London Times proclaims that "you won't find more stylish lodgings in all of rural Scotland." 

We'll have plenty of opportunities to explore the uniquely picturesque area surrounding the hotel, beside the Spey River. Hiking, biking, fishing, animal watching is all possible from this home base. But we'll start with a welcome dinner at the hotel. 

We'll start the morning with a hike along the River Spey to the charming Telford Bridge. 

Then we'll head to Balvenie Distillery for what Johanne McInnis, our whisky expert calls the most comprehensive distillery tour. We'll then eat lunch in the beautiful Glenfiddich distillery, nearby. Bonus: We'll also have a chance to visit a small distillery, that is run by a friend of Johanne's and still makes whisky the traditional way. 

Dinner in Aberlour. 

This morning will be relaxed to allow time for you to hike, bike, or to make arrangements to fish in the River Spey or ride horses nearby. 

In the afternoon we'll head to the Walker Shortbread Factory for a look around and a shortbread making class (TBD). 

We'll then meet at the elegant, woman-owned Dowans Hotel for a special reception for female entrepreneurs and artisans in the Speyside area. Get ready to be insipired. 

Dinner at Dowans. 

After we check out of the Craigellachie Hotel, we'll head south to Caringorms National Park, which offers simply stupendous natural scenery--from the wild high mountains, to the heather moorlands and peatlands, to the magnificent forests, the farms and crofts, and the wetlands and rivers which wind through the flood plains.

We will stop at park headquarters, where you'll be able to spend a good part of the day hiking, biking or soaking in the breathtaking landscapes. 

Then it's on to Edinburgh, where we'll stay at the Voco Edinburgh Royal Terrace Hotel. 

We'll cover Edinburgh from end-to-end--climbing Arthur's Seat, exploring the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle. 

We'll end the trip with a reception/fund raiser for a local activist whose efforts benefit women in need. 

Take the opportunity to extend your stay in Edinburgh, to see more of this wonderful town. Or head to the Edinburgh airport to return home. 

If you'd rather fly out of Glasgow, you can take a train to Glasgow (about an hour), then take a taxi or public transport to the Glasgow airport.